Manatee quarterback accused of lewd and lascivious battery

Published: Tuesday, April 15, 2014 at 3:13 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 at 10:20 a.m.

BRADENTON - Manatee High School quarterback Josh Meyer was arrested Monday on a felony charge of lewd and lascivious battery after authorities said he had sex with a girl despite her repeatedly telling him to stop.

Facts

MANATEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT STATEMENT

The following is a statement from Steve Valley, Director of Communications, Family and Community Engagement for the School District of Manatee County:

“The Manatee County School District was informed by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office this morning that a student at Manatee High School was arrested on Monday, April 14, 2014, and charged with Lewd and Lascivious Battery, a felony of the second degree. Neither the incident in which the alleged felony occurred, nor the arrest, took place on school district property. In accordance with school district procedures, since the student arrested was charged with a felony, that student will be re-assigned to an alternative school until this matter is resolved. This is a matter being handled by law enforcement. School district officials will cooperate fully and will not comment further until all legal matters have been settled.”

Meyer, 17, is accused of having sex with the 15-year-old female against her will at a party late Saturday night, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Department.

The arrest is yet another in a string of criminal incidents associated with the county's flagship school and its high-profile football team in the past 17 months, leaving students and faculty to navigate through a tumultuous stretch.

The charge against Meyer is a second-degree felony, and Manatee County school district spokesman Steve Valley said in a statement that Meyer has been reassigned to an alternative school until the matter is resolved.

“Neither the incident in which the alleged felony occurred, nor the arrest, took place on district property,” Valley said.

Meyer was the starting quarterback for Manatee last season as a junior. He helped lead the Hurricanes to a perfect 10-0 regular season before the team fell to Fort Pierce Central in the second round of the playoffs.

According to the Sheriff Department's probable cause affidavit, Meyer and the victim were drinking at a party in the 3800 block of 59th Street West late Saturday night when the incident took place.

The victim said the two were kissing and she asked him to stop. She said Meyer then grabbed her, pulled her into a bathroom, turned off the lights and locked the door.

The victim said when they were in the bathroom she asked him to stop several times yet he continued.

Meyer told detectives that he and the girl did engage in sexual activity, but that it was consensual.

According to the school district's student code of conduct, if Meyer is charged with a felony by the state he may not be able to participate in extra-curricular activities for a year and may face expulsion from school.

Meyer's arrest is yet another criminal incident associated with the school and its football team.

Former Manatee High running backs coach Rod Frazier is facing seven misdemeanor charges of battery involving former female students and employees at the school.

He is also facing three misdemeanor charges of interfering with a student's attendance.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and a June 2 trial date has been tentatively set.

Former Manatee High Principal Bob Gagnon and former assistant principals Matthew Kane and Gregg Faller are facing charges of failure to report child abuse in the Frazier case.

After a district investigation into the Frazier matter was conducted, Manatee County superintendent Rick Mills notified Gagnon, Kane and Faller of his intent to terminate their employment from the district.

The three filed for administrative hearings in an effort to keep their jobs and they are expected to soon present their cases to an administrative law judge.

Gagnon's hearing is set for April Monday, Kane's the following week and Faller's is scheduled to take place in early June.

With spring football practice set to start in about two weeks, it appears Manatee will conduct its workouts without Meyer and Joe Kinnan.

Kinnan, the highly-accomplished coach who has dealt with cancer in the past, is suffering from a “serious health condition and has recently been placed on medical restrictions by his treating physicians,” according to a document filed with the state.

Kinnan, who stepped down as the school's athletic director in December, has been on sick leave and has not been present at school.

An investigation into misconduct by Manatee High baseball coach Dwayne Strong last fall led to a reprimand of Kinnan.

In December, Kinnan was issued an administrative complaint by Mills that demoted him from his job as the school's business manager to an instructional position.

It also suspended him without pay for 10 days for “misconduct in office,” “incompetency” and “willful neglect of duty.”

Kinnan requested an administrative hearing with the state that had been scheduled for late May.

But the hearing has now been delayed due to Kinnan's health concerns, according to the document filed with the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings.

EARLIER: Manatee High School football quarterback Josh Meyer has been arrested on a felony charge of lewd and lascivious battery, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Spokesman Dave Bristow confirmed that Meyer, 17, was arrested Monday.

Meyer was the starting quarterback for Manatee last season. The junior helped lead the Hurricanes to a perfect 10-0 regular season before the team fell to Fort Pierce Central in the second round of the playoffs.

Meyer, who took over the starting job for Cord Sandberg, was 95 of 152 for 1,156 yards. He threw 11 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Manatee High football coach Joe Kinnan and athletic director Jason Montgomery did not immediately return phone calls for comment.

Meyer's arrest is the second incident associated with the high-profile football team in the past year.

Former running backs coach Rod Frazier faces seven misdemeanor charges of battery involving former female students and employees at the school.

He is also facing three misdemeanor charges of interfering with a student's attendance.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and a June 2 trial date has been tentatively set.

<p><em>BRADENTON</em> - Manatee High School quarterback Josh Meyer was arrested Monday on a felony charge of lewd and lascivious battery after authorities said he had sex with a girl despite her repeatedly telling him to stop.</p><p>Meyer, 17, is accused of having sex with the 15-year-old female against her will at a party late Saturday night, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Department.</p><p>The arrest is yet another in a string of criminal incidents associated with the county's flagship school and its high-profile football team in the past 17 months, leaving students and faculty to navigate through a tumultuous stretch.</p><p>The charge against Meyer is a second-degree felony, and Manatee County school district spokesman Steve Valley said in a statement that Meyer has been reassigned to an alternative school until the matter is resolved.</p><p>“Neither the incident in which the alleged felony occurred, nor the arrest, took place on district property,” Valley said.</p><p>Manatee High football coach Joe Kinnan and athletic director Jason Montgomery did not return calls Tuesday seeking comment.</p><p>Attempts to reach Meyer's mother were unsuccessful.</p><p>Meyer was the starting quarterback for Manatee last season as a junior. He helped lead the Hurricanes to a perfect 10-0 regular season before the team fell to Fort Pierce Central in the second round of the playoffs.</p><p>According to the Sheriff Department's probable cause affidavit, Meyer and the victim were drinking at a party in the 3800 block of 59th Street West late Saturday night when the incident took place.</p><p>The victim said the two were kissing and she asked him to stop. She said Meyer then grabbed her, pulled her into a bathroom, turned off the lights and locked the door.</p><p>The victim said when they were in the bathroom she asked him to stop several times yet he continued.</p><p>Meyer told detectives that he and the girl did engage in sexual activity, but that it was consensual. </p><p>According to the school district's student code of conduct, if Meyer is charged with a felony by the state he may not be able to participate in extra-curricular activities for a year and may face expulsion from school.</p><p>Meyer's arrest is yet another criminal incident associated with the school and its football team.</p><p>Former Manatee High running backs coach Rod Frazier is facing seven misdemeanor charges of battery involving former female students and employees at the school.</p><p>He is also facing three misdemeanor charges of interfering with a student's attendance. </p><p>He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and a June 2 trial date has been tentatively set.</p><p>Former Manatee High Principal Bob Gagnon and former assistant principals Matthew Kane and Gregg Faller are facing charges of failure to report child abuse in the Frazier case.</p><p>After a district investigation into the Frazier matter was conducted, Manatee County superintendent Rick Mills notified Gagnon, Kane and Faller of his intent to terminate their employment from the district.</p><p>The three filed for administrative hearings in an effort to keep their jobs and they are expected to soon present their cases to an administrative law judge.</p><p>Gagnon's hearing is set for April Monday, Kane's the following week and Faller's is scheduled to take place in early June.</p><p>With spring football practice set to start in about two weeks, it appears Manatee will conduct its workouts without Meyer and Joe Kinnan.</p><p>Kinnan, the highly-accomplished coach who has dealt with cancer in the past, is suffering from a “serious health condition and has recently been placed on medical restrictions by his treating physicians,” according to a document filed with the state.</p><p>Kinnan, who stepped down as the school's athletic director in December, has been on sick leave and has not been present at school.</p><p>An investigation into misconduct by Manatee High baseball coach Dwayne Strong last fall led to a reprimand of Kinnan.</p><p>In December, Kinnan was issued an administrative complaint by Mills that demoted him from his job as the school's business manager to an instructional position.</p><p>It also suspended him without pay for 10 days for “misconduct in office,” “incompetency” and “willful neglect of duty.”</p><p>Kinnan requested an administrative hearing with the state that had been scheduled for late May. </p><p>But the hearing has now been delayed due to Kinnan's health concerns, according to the document filed with the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings.</p><p>EARLIER: Manatee High School football quarterback Josh Meyer has been arrested on a felony charge of lewd and lascivious battery, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office. </p><p>Spokesman Dave Bristow confirmed that Meyer, 17, was arrested Monday.</p><p>Meyer was the starting quarterback for Manatee last season. The junior helped lead the Hurricanes to a perfect 10-0 regular season before the team fell to Fort Pierce Central in the second round of the playoffs.</p><p>Meyer, who took over the starting job for Cord Sandberg, was 95 of 152 for 1,156 yards. He threw 11 touchdowns and six interceptions.</p><p>Manatee High football coach Joe Kinnan and athletic director Jason Montgomery did not immediately return phone calls for comment. </p><p>Meyer's arrest is the second incident associated with the high-profile football team in the past year.</p><p>Former running backs coach Rod Frazier faces seven misdemeanor charges of battery involving former female students and employees at the school.</p><p>He is also facing three misdemeanor charges of interfering with a student's attendance. </p><p>He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and a June 2 trial date has been tentatively set.</p>